MP Arvind Sawant Flags ‘Incomplete Reply’ on Journalists’ Welfare, Writes to Speaker

• Arvind Sawant writes to Speaker Om Birla over minister’s reply
• Alleges incomplete response on facilities for accredited journalists
• Seeks clarity on medical, pension, and housing benefits
• Demands detailed, point-wise reply from I&B Ministry

GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 12th Feb: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging that the government furnished an incomplete and unsatisfactory reply to a question on welfare facilities for accredited journalists.

In a letter dated February 10, Sawant said the response given by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan to Unstarred Question No. 1674 in December 2025 did not provide full and clear information about medical, pension, and housing facilities for journalists across states and Union Territories.

The question, raised by Sawant and MP Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, had sought details on whether accredited journalists and senior journalists were being provided pension, free medical treatment in government and empanelled private hospitals, housing, and other benefits. It also asked for a state-wise breakup and a timeline for implementation of such facilities.

Sawant said the minister had not clearly answered whether the Government of India had introduced cashless medical facilities for accredited journalists and their dependent family members, nor provided complete information about states offering pension and housing benefits.

He also referred to a representation submitted by the Manyata Praapt Patrakar Kalyan Samiti, Delhi, and sought a point-wise update on the steps taken by the ministry in response to its demands.

In his letter, Sawant said the press fraternity was “anguished” by the vague response and stressed that journalists, described as the fourth pillar of democracy, should not be left without adequate welfare measures.

He urged the Speaker to direct the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to furnish a complete and detailed reply and to consider the demands raised by accredited and senior journalists.

In its written reply to Parliament, the ministry said journalists accredited with the Press Information Bureau are covered under the Central Government Health Scheme, including treatment at government and empanelled private hospitals at CGHS rates.

The ministry also cited the Journalist Welfare Scheme, under which one-time ex-gratia assistance is provided to journalists or their families in cases of extreme hardship, disability, or major illness. According to the government, financial assistance has been extended to 402 journalists or their families between 2014–15 and 2024–25 under the scheme.